| 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 |
| 1 | 133 | 265 | 398 | 530 |
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not Short. Short's very well as far as he goes, but the real friend is
Codlin - not Short.'
Eking out these professions with a number of benevolent and
protecting looks and great fervour of manner, Thomas Codlin stole
away on tiptoe, leaving the child in a state of extreme surprise. She
was still ruminating upon his curious behaviour, when the floor of the
crazy stairs and landing cracked beneath the tread of the other
travellers who were passing to their beds. When they had all passed,
and the sound of their footsteps had died away, one of them returned,
and after a little hesitation and rustling in the passage, as if he were
doubtful what door to knock at, knocked at hers.
'Yes,' said the child from within.
'It's me - Short' - a voice called through the keyhole. 'I only wanted to
say that we must be off early to-morrow morning, my dear, because
unless we get the start of the dogs and the conjuror, the villages won't
be worth a penny. You'll be sure to be stirring early and go with us?
I'll call you.'
The child answered in the affirmative, and returning his 'good night'
heard him creep away. She felt some uneasiness at the anxiety of
these men, increased by the recollection of their whispering together
down stairs and their slight confusion when she awoke, nor was she
quite free from a misgiving that they were not the fittest companions
she could have stumbled on. Her uneasiness, however, was nothing,
weighed against her fatigue; and she soon forgot it in sleep. Very early
next morning, Short fulfilled his promise, and knocking softly at her
door, entreated that she would get up directly, as the proprietor of the
dogs was still snoring, and if they lost no time they might get a good
deal in advance both of him and the conjuror, who was talking in his
sleep, and from what he could be heard to say, appeared to be
balancing a donkey in his dreams. She started from her bed without
delay, and roused the old man with so much expedition that they were
both ready as soon as Short himself, to that gentleman's unspeakable
gratification and relief.
After a very unceremonious and scrambling breakfast, of which the
staple commodities were bacon and bread, and beer, they took leave of
the landlord and issued from the door of the jolly Sandboys. The
morning was fine and warm, the ground cool to the feet after the late
rain, the hedges gayer and more green, the air clear, and everything
fresh and healthful. Surrounded by these influences, they walked on
pleasantly enough.
They had not gone very far, when the child was again struck by the
altered behaviour of Mr Thomas Codlin, who instead of plodding on
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